Tray-chair



G. L. PLATTS.

TRAY CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED-SEPTA 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 1,383,020. PatentedJime 28, 1921.

s-noewtoz a. L. PLATTS.

TRAYCHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED sPT.9. I920.

Patented June 28, 1921.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

GEaLFLA TS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LOUIS PLATTS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGA.'I\

TRAY-Cm 1 Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 28 192-1 Application filed September 9, 1920. Serial No. 409,230.

serving tray may be dletachably secured" thereto. In self-serving lunch rooms and in lunch rooms of the cafeteria type, the "food is removed from the counter by the patron and taken to a seat. In some of these institutions chairs are provided, having at the forward end of the arm an on larged portion which serves as a support for the dishes containing food. In these institutions it is necessary for the patron to secure the dishes and place them upon such enlarged portion. Generally no trayis provided, necessitating the carrying of the dishes in the hand, ordinarily requiring" 7 two or three trips to remove a light lunch* from the counter to the seat. Where a tray is provided there is no provision for the disposal of the tray except to return the tray to the counter, necessitating an extra trip on the part of the patron. In other institutions, where tables are provided, the food is carried by the patron, either by hand or upon a tray to the table. The use of tables, is, however, space consuming and is only resorted to, to provide comfort for the patrons. It is impossible to make the enlargement upon the ends of the armsof the. ch airs previously mentioned sufficiently large to accommodate a large number of dishes,

because of the fact that these enlargements being permanently in position consume constantly so much space. In order to remove these difficulties, I have provided a chair having combined therewith means for attaching a tray thereto, the tray being provided with means for coacting with and engaging the means carried by the chair in such a manner that accidental displacement of the tray is practically impossible. This construction renders it possible for the patron to be supplied with a. tray upon which to collect and carry such articles as he may desire, and, subsequently, to use the tray as a table while eating, thus avoiding the extra trlp ordinarily necessary. This construction has a further advantage in that the tray may be removed .by employees, to-

gether with the dirty dishes carried thereby in a convenient manner.

A further ob ect of the invention is to provide in a device of thls character means whereby the tray may be removably attached to zontal movement of the tray toward the chair, and means whereby the tray is supported with its upper surface substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the arm of the chair.

'Other objects and advantages of the invention Wlll become apparent throughout the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and the chair by a straight line horiwherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tray chair constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of'the bracket employed for supporting the tray. F F1g. 4 is a. section on the line 41-4 of Fig. '5 isa plan view of the bracket.

- Fig. is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the tray showing the guides attached thereto, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tray.

Referring now .more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 indicates a chair and the numeral 11 the arm thereof. This arm has secured thereto a bracket 12.

The bracket, 12, embodies at its upper end horizontally extending portions 13 provided at the ends thereof with vertically extending members 14 which embody forwardly extending lugs 15 spaced above and extending over the horizontal portions 13. The bracket wardly from the forward face thereof a suitably braced arm 17 provided at its upper end with a horizontally disposed preferably circular flat head 18 coplanar with the tongue 16.

-A tray T is provided,'having in its lower surface a groove 19 formed in the present instance by spaced tracks 20 secured tothe under surface of the tray, as by riveting, as at 20. The conformation of these tracks is such that the portions thereof are spaced from the bottom of the trayat each side of the groove forming a slideway for the head 18 and a receptacle for the tongue 16. This groove and the tracks 20 extend to, one marginal edge of the tray. The tray is, as 1n the usual construction, provided with an upstanding marginal flange F and the edge thereof to which the tracks 20 extend is provided with spaced openings 0, spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the lugs 15.

In the use of my device the patron employs the tray to secure the desired viands and returns with the tray, engaging the slot of the under surface thereof with the head rest and moves the tray toward the chair with a straight line movement. When in proper position the tongue 16 engages between the outer end of the tracks and the bottom of the tray and the bottom of the tray at the sides of the tongue 16 is supported by the horizontal portions 13. The lugs 15 likewise engage in the openings 0, preventing upward displacement of the tray. It will be obvious that the portions 13 and tongue will combine to prevent downward displacement of the tray at thisend an'ditliat displacement in any direction except that opposed to the direction of movement in applying the tray at the outer end of the tray is prevented by the fact that the arm 17 has a sliding fit in the groove 19 and the head 18 is held between the tracks 20 and the bottom of the tray. I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of the above described device in self-serving restaurants alone, as it will be readily understood that the device could likewise be employed in restaurants utilizing waiters.

It will further be obvious that my device is particularly well adapted for use by re ason of the fact that it eliminates unnecessary labor and permits of serving-a maximum number of patrons in the given space, and it will likewise be obvious that the construction of the same as hereinbefore set forth is capable of some change without departing from the spirit of my invention. I accordlngly do not limit myself to the specific construction as hereinbefore set forth, except as so limited by the subjoined claims.

Having now described my invention, what Iclaimls:

1. The combination with a serving tray and a chair, of means for detachably-securing the serving tray to the chair embodying a support secured to the chair and providedat its upper end with means adapted to engage a side of the tray to prevent vertical displacement thereof and means extending the under surface of the tray to support the same.

2. The combination with a serving tray and a chair, of means for detachably securin'g the serving tray to the chair embodying a substantially vertical support secured to the chair and provided at its upper end with a flattened portion adapted to receive the under surface of one edge of the tray and prevent downward displacement thereof, means carried by said supporta'nd engaging the edge of saidtray to prevent upward displacement thereof, and means extending forwardly from the support and engaging the under surface of the tray to support the same.

3. The combination with a serving tray and a chair, of means for detachably securing the serving tray to the chair embodying a substantially vertical support secured to the chair and provided at its upper end' with a flattened portion adapted to receive the under surface of one edge of the tray and prevent downward displacement thereof, means carried by said support and engaging the edge thereof to prevent upward displacement thereof. and means extending forwa'rdly from the support and engaging the under surface of the tray to support the same, said last named means likewisepreventing transverse shifting of the tray.

4. The combination with achai'r provided with a substantially vertical support having at its upper end oppositely extending horizontal portions, a forwardly extending tongue formed on said support, an arm extending forwardly from said support and provided with a head, and portions extending u \var(lly'fron1 said oppositely extending arms, and provided with forwardly extending lugs, of a tray provided upon the under surface thereof with spaced tracks affording therebetween a groove to slidably receive said arm, said tracks having their adjacent edges spaced from the bottom' of the tray to afford a space'for the reception of said head and tongue, and openings formed in the side of said tray adapted to receive said forwardl extending lugs.

5.. The com ination with a serving tray and a chair, of means for detachably securing the serving tray to the chair embodying a. support secured to the chair and provided with means adapted to engage a side of the of and means for engaging the under surface of the tray .to support the same, said tray being rotatable upon the last named means when out of engagement with the first named means.

6. The combination with a chair, of a tray and means'for detachably securingthe tray to the chair by horizontal movement embodying a member having interlocking en'- 120 I tray to prevent vertical displacement theregagement with the bottom of the tray preventing transverse movement of said tray but permitting rotary movement thereof and means for engaging the tray to prevent rotation thereof.

7. The combination with a serving tray and a chair, of means for detachably securing the serving tray to the chair, embodying a support secured to the chair and provided 10 at its upper end with means adapted to engage the side of the tray to prevent vertical displacement thereof and means extending forwardly from the support for engaging the under surface of the tray to support the same, said tray being rotatable upon the last ,15

named means when out of engagement with said first named means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto-afiix my signature. i

GEORGE LOUIS PLATTS. 

